Pak announces $1 million bounty for Taliban leader

October 16, 2012 10:06 IST

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has announced a one million dollar bounty on Mullah Fazlullah, the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban who is behind the attack on teenage rights activist Malala Yousufzai.

"This conspiracy assassination plan was made across the border in Afghanistan. Of course, (by) Mullah Fazlullah, who had fled when we took action in Malakand Swat," Malik told CNN in an interview.

"At that point of time, we did not exactly know what their objective was and what kind of action they were going to take. Of course, one guy we have identified and few of his associates have been arrested," he said, adding that the financer of one of the terrorists has been detained.

Malik announced one million dollar as bounty for the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. The top Pakistani official also asserted that Islamabad was taking strong action against extremists.

"Let

me assure that the military leadership and of course the civil leadership will take action at an appropriate time. But at the same time, the action based on intelligence is continuing. But I can tell you that the people of Pakistan do not want Taliban. They do not want extremism," Malik said.

"Pakistan

is fighting a war, a war which was imposed on Pakistan," he said.

"We have lost 40,000 innocent people, 16,000

line forces. This happened only because we have accepted responsibility to fight against terrorism, not only for Pakistan but for the entire world, because we want to see a terrorism-free world," he said.

"The

assassination attempt on Malala shows the intent of the terrorists. Terrorists want their way of life. Of course, there is no blame game. But we feel the attack every day," Malik said.